This invention relates generally to an apparatus for use with animals and more specifically to a device which can transfer a percentage of the weight of the animal to a lifting device.
Relieving an animal of a percentage of its own body weight is important when that animal is recovering from an injury to the hip or other weight-bearing body part, is aged and has difficulty in walking, or when a degree of control needs to be exerted over the animal when walking. A common situation involves an injured or aged dog with a bad hip which must be assisted in traversing inclines, typically stairs. While, ideally, the entire weight of the animal is relieved by lifting the animal, many dogs are typically too large or too heavy to be completely lifted or carried. In such an instance, assistance by relieving even a percentage of the animal""s weight from the injured hip is beneficial.
Other animal apparatus have been used which wrap around the animal and transfer the animal""s entire weight to a lifting device, typically an individual. One example is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,606 to Hartman. This apparatus is a complex series of multiple straps. One drawback of the apparatus described in the ""606 patent is that the apparatus must be looped around both the front torso and the rear legs of the animal, thus, it is time consuming to put into place. Furthermore, the apparatus of the ""606 patent is particularly unhelpful in relieving a percentage of a dog""s weight on the dog""s front legs and hips when such a dog is traveling up an incline; the position of the handle on an apparatus of the ""606 patent actually tends to increase the force on the front end of a dog during a journey up an incline, as an upward force applied at the handle will tend to lift the back legs of the dog and disadvantageously transfer additional weight to the front legs. A second example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,902 to Doyle. This apparatus comprises a sling with holes allowing passage of the animals legs and feet. One drawback of the apparatus described in the ""902 patent is that the sling must be large enough to completely lift the animal. If such a device is used to completely lift a large dog off of the ground, the device would be bulky as well as difficult to place around the dog""s legs. Furthermore, the apparatus of the ""902 patent functions only with an animal of significantly small size and weight so as to allow an individual to completely life such an animal off of the ground, and is particularly unhelpful for a large dog which, due to its size and weight, could not be completely lifted off the ground easily by an individual.
A simple apparatus for animals which are too heavy to lift entirely, which transfers weight from only one area of the animal as necessary, and which is easily and quickly applied to an animal is desired.
The present invention overcomes disadvantages in the prior art by providing an improved and simple assisting apparatus. In one aspect of the invention, the invention provides an apparatus for assisting a large dog traveling on an incline, comprising a support member and a first and second handle attached hereto. The first and second handles are attached to the support member at an angle consistent with the angle of incline to be traversed whereby the weight of the dog is substantially evenly dispersed along the support member where the support member contacts the dog, namely, under the front shoulders and the ribcage. The apparatus is compact and can be carried easily by an individual. It can be placed upon the dog and removed quickly and easily as compared to devices of the prior art.
In another aspect of the invention, the invention further provides a securing mechanism for securing the apparatus on a dog. This securing mechanism includes a securing device for connecting the ends of the support member together, and may further include a strap system which maintains the position of the apparatus on the dog.